Irish Political History series

Ulster Loyalism

Terminology Loyalism Unionism Image File history File links Ireland-up. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Northern_Ireland. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Unionism, in Ireland, is a belief in the desirability of a full constitutional and institutional relationship between Ireland and Great Britain based on the terms and order of government of the Act of Union 1800 which had merged both countries in 1801 to form the United Kingdom. ... Key documents Belfast Agreement Government of Ireland Act 1920 Solemn League and Covenant Sunningdale Agreement The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement and, more rarely, as the Stormont Agreement) was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process. ... An Act to Provide for the Better Government of Ireland, more usually the Government of Ireland Act, 1920 (this is its official short title; the formal citation is 10 & 11 Geo. ... The Ulster Covenant was signed by hundreds of thousands of men all over Ulster, Ireland, on and before September 28, 1912, in protest of a Home Rule bill introduced in that same year. ... The Sunningdale Agreement on December 9, 1973, was an attempt to end the Northern Ireland troubles by forcing unionists to share power with nationalists. ... Parties Democratic Unionist Party Ulster Unionist Party United Ulster Unionist Coalition Popular Unionist Party Protestant Unionist Party Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party Ulster Democratic Party Progressive Unionist Party “DUP” redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The United Ulster Unionist Council (also known as the United Ulster Unionist Coalition) was a body that sought to bring together the Unionists opposed to the Sunningdale Agreement in Northern Ireland. ... The Ulster Popular Unionist Party was a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. ... The Protestant Unionist Party (PUP) were a political party operating in Northern Ireland from 1966 to 1971. ... The Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party, also known as the Vanguard Ulster Progressive Party (and several variations of word order), was a unionist political party which existed in Northern Ireland between 1973 and 1978. ... The Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) were a small unionist political party operating in Northern Ireland. ... The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) are a small political party from Northern Ireland. ... Paramilitaries Ulster Volunteer Force Ulster Defence Association Real Ulster Freedom Fighters Loyalist Volunteer Force Orange Volunteers Red Hand Commandos Red Branch Knights Ulster Young Militants Combined Loyalist Military Command ULCCC The Ulster Volunteer Force (more commonly referred to as the UVF) are a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Real Ulster Freedom Fighters, otherwise known as the Real UFF (RUFF) is a loyalist paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland. ... The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) is a loyalist terrorist group in Northern Ireland which broke away from the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and was led by the late Billy Wright. ... The Orange Volunteers (OV) are a break-away Loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. ... The Red Hand Commando are a Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary group closely linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force. ... The Red Branch Knights were a semi-mythical group of warriors in ancient Ireland, associated with the legendary hero Cuchulainn -champion of hte province of Uladh (modern Ulster). ... UYM mural painted on Ulsters Freedom Corner, Newtownards Road, Belfast. ... The Combined Loyalist Military Command was an umbrella body for Loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland set up in the early 1990s. ... The Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee (ULCCC) was set up in 1974 in the aftermath of the Ulster Workers Council Strike, in order to facilitate meetings and policy co-ordination between the Ulster Workers Council, the loyalist paramilitaries and the political representatives of loyalism. ... Other Organisations Peep O'Day Boys Ulster Resistance The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Cultural "The Twelfth" Apprentice Boys of Derry Orange Institution Royal Black Preceptory The Twelfth is an annual Protestant celebration on July 12, originating in Ireland. ... The Apprentice Boys Of Derry are a Protestant fraternal society with a worldwide membership, founded in 1814. ... Orangemen in traditional dress preparing to march The Orange Institution, more commonly known as the Orange Order, is a Protestant fraternal organisation based predominantly in Northern Ireland and Scotland with lodges throughout the Commonwealth and in the United States. ... The Royal Black Institution, also known as the Royal Black Preceptory, or The Imperial Grand Black Chapter Of The British Commonwealth is a Protestant fraternal society. ... Songs Billy Boys Derry's Walls God Save the Queen Rule Britannia The Sash The Billy Boys is a loyalist song from Glasgow, sung to the tune of Marching Through Georgia. ... Derrys Walls is a loyalist song sung in Scotland and Ireland. ... Publication of an early version in The Gentlemans Magazine, 15 October 1745. ... “Rule Britannia” is a patriotic British national song, originating from the poem Rule Britannia by James Thomson, and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. ... The Sash is an Irish Protestant ballad commemorating the Protestant victory in the Williamite war in Ireland in 1690-91. ... Symbols and Flags Coat of arms of Northern Ireland Orange order flag Red Hand of Ulster Ulster Banner Union Flag The Coat of Arms of Northern Ireland The Coat of Arms of Northern Ireland was granted to the Government of Northern Ireland in 1924, after the Irish Free State had separated from the United Kingdom. ... Orangemen in traditional dress preparing to march The Orange Institution, more commonly known as the Orange Order, is a Protestant fraternal organisation based predominantly in Northern Ireland and Scotland with lodges throughout the Commonwealth and in the United States. ... Red Hand redirects here. ... Contrary to popular belief, the 1972 suspension of the Northern Irish provincial government did not suspend the existence of the provincial flag, shown on this page below, or the provincial arms. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 The Union Flag (also known as the Union Jack; see discussion below) is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ... Other movements & links Monarchy in the Irish Free State Irish Nationalism Irish republicanism Irish Unionism King George V, the first monarch to reign in the Irish Free State. ... Irish nationalism refers to political movements that desire greater autonomy or the independence of Ireland from Great Britain. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... In the Irish context, Unionists form a group of largely (though not exclusively) Protestant people in Ireland, of all social classes, who wish to see the continuation of the Act of Union, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which the Northern Ireland provincial state created in...

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Ulster Resistance was a paramilitary movement established by unionists in Northern Ireland on 10 November 1986 in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. A paramilitary organization is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ... Unionism, in the context of Ireland, is a belief in the continuation of the Act of Union 1800 (as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920) so that Northern Ireland (created by the 1920 Act) remains part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... November 10 is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 51 days remaining. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which aimed to bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. ...

Origins

The group was launched at a 2,000 strong invitation only meeting at the Ulster Hall. The rally was chaired by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Lord Mayor of Belfast Sammy Wilson and addressed by party colleagues Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson and Ivan Foster. Also on the platform at the rally was Alan Wright, the Chairman of the Ulster Clubs. The launch rally was followed by a number of similar assemblies across Northern Ireland. The Ulster Hall The Ulster Hall is a concert hall and grade B1 listed building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... “DUP” redirects here. ... Sammy Wilson Sammy Wilson (born April 4, 1953, Belfast) is a politician in Northern Ireland and both Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. ... Ian Richard Kyle Paisley MP MLA (born 6 April 1926) is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland. ... Peter David Robinson (born December 29, 1948) is a Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament for East Belfast. ... The Reverend Ivan Foster is a leading minister in the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster and a sometime Democratic Unionist Party politician. ... Ulster Clubs were a series of Unionist organisation founded in Northern Ireland in the Autumn of 1985. ...

At a rally in Enniskillen, Peter Robinson announced; "'Thousands have already joined the movement and the task of shaping them into an effective force is continuing. The Resistance has indicated that drilling and training has already started. The officers of the nine divisions have taken up their duties'.[1] Coles Monument Enniskillen (Inis Ceithleann in Irish) is the county town (and largest town) of County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. ...

At a rally in the Ulster Hall Paisley spoke of the need for the Third Force to fight against the aims of Republicanism then Paisley was filmed dramatically placing a Red Beret on his head and standing for to attention. The Ulster Hall The Ulster Hall is a concert hall and grade B1 listed building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... This page may meet Wikipedia’s criteria for speedy deletion. ... Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, with an emphasis on liberty, rule by the people, and the civic virtue practiced by citizens. ...

DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson was also photographed wearing the loyalist paramilitary regalia of beret and military fatigues at a Ulster Resistance rally. Peter David Robinson (born December 29, 1948) is a Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament for East Belfast. ...

A mass membership failed to materialise, but active groups were established in country areas such as County Armagh, attracting support from rural conservative Protestants. Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Armagh Area: 1,254 km² Population (est. ...

Arms

The group collaborated with the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) to procure arms. In June 1987 the UVF stole more than £300,000 from the Northern Bank in Portadown. The money was used to buy an estimated 200 AK47 assault rifles, 90 Browning 9mm pistols, 10 RPG-7 rocket launchers and 150 warheads, 450 grenades and ammunition which arrived at Belfast docks in December 1987 and were then transported to a farm outside Portadown. The arms were Palestine Liberation Organization weapons captured by the Christian militias in the Lebanon and were split three ways between the groups. The Ulster Volunteer Force (more commonly referred to as the UVF) are a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Northern Bank, is a commercial bank in Northern Ireland. ... Portadown (from the Irish: Port an Dúnáin meaning port of the fortress) is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. ... The AK-47 (for Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947 goda, Russian: автомат Калашникова образца 1947 года) is an assault rifle designed in 1947 by Mikhail Kalashnikov... An RPG-7 captured by the US Army RPG, or Rocket propelled grenade is a loose term describing hand-held, shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons capable of firing an unguided rocket equipped with an explosive warhead. ... The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) (Arabic: ;   or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary organization regarded by the Arab League since October 1974 as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. ...

On 8 January 1987, as they attempted to transport their weapons to Belfast, the UDA's share was intercepted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. A UR member, Noel Little, a former Ulster Defence Regiment soldier and the Armagh chairman of the Ulster Clubs was arrested in connection with the find under the Prevention of Terrorism Act but released without charge. The Ulster Volunteer Force's (UVF) share was successfully smuggled to Belfast but several weeks later around half of the arms were also seized by police. The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. ... UDR Badge The Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... Ulster Clubs were a series of Unionist organisation founded in Northern Ireland in the Autumn of 1985. ... The Prevention of Terrorism Acts were a series of Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom from 1974 to 1989, which conferred emergency powers upon police forces where they suspected terrorism. ... The Ulster Volunteer Force (more commonly referred to as the UVF) are a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. ...

Part of the Ulster Resistance share of the weapons was uncovered near Markethill, County Armagh in November 1988, along with stolen missile parts and Ulster Resistance red berets. Two men were arrested in connection with the find and sentenced on 22 September 1989. Both were from South Armagh, one of them a DUP member. The party subsequently claimed that they had severed links with the group in 1987. Markethill is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Missiles

The South African contacts who had helped set up the 1987 arms deal were also interested in trading guns for something other than money; missile technology. In October 1988, a model of the Javelin missile aiming system was stolen from the Short Brothers factory in Belfast, which had a mostly loyalist workforce. A few months later, parts of a Blowpipe missile went missing and another Blowpipe was stolen from a Territorial Army base in Newtownards in April 1989. A triple Javelin missile launcher Javelin is a British man-portable surface-to-air missile, used by the British Army and Canadian Army. ... Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company now based in Belfast. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Unionists (Ireland). ... Canadian 129th Anti-Aircraft Defense Battery missile team with Blowpipe during NATO exercise Cornet Phaser. ... The Territorial Army (TA) is a part of the British Army, the land armed forces of the United Kingdom, and composed mostly of part-time soldiers paid at the same rate, while engaged on military activities, as their Regular equivalents. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

Arrests in Paris

Three members of the group, Noel Little, previously arrested in connection with the 1987 importation of arms, James King, a Free Presbyterian from Killyleagh, County Down and Samuel Quinn, a sergeant in the Newtownards Territorial Army were arrested at the Hilton Hotel, Paris on 21 April 1989 along with a diplomat from South Africa, Daniel Storm and an American arms dealer, Douglas Bernhart, leading to claims that they were attempting to procure arms in return for missile technology from Short Brothers. The "Paris Three" were charged with arms trafficking and associating with criminals involved in terrorist activities. They were convicted in October 1991 after more than two years on remand. They received suspended sentences and fines ranging from £2,000 to £5,000. The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded and moderated by the cleric and politician, Ian Paisley¹. Most of its membership live in Ulster. ... Killyleagh Castle Killyleagh (IPA: ) (Cill Uí Laoigh in Irish, meaning Church of the descendants of heroes) is a large village in County Down, Northern Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Downpatrick Area: 2,448 km² Population (est. ... The Hilton Hotel chain is owned by Hilton Hotels Corporation and is based in Beverly Hills, California. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company now based in Belfast. ...

Aftermath

The "Sutton Index of Deaths" [2] claims that two men killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in October 1989 were members of Ulster Resistance. Thomas Gibson, a 27 year old labourer and part time ambulance driver with the Territorial Army was shot dead in Kilrea, County Londonderry. Robert Metcalfe, the 40 year old owner of an army surplus store in Lurgan was shot dead at his home in Magheralin, County Down. The families of both men denied that they had any connection with loyalist groups. Provisional Irish Republican Army (Irish name: Óglaigh na hÉireann) (PIRA; more commonly referred to as the IRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the Army or the RA) is an Irish Republican left-wing paramilitary organisation that, until the Belfast Agreement, sought to end Northern Ireland... Kilrea is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Derry Area: 2,074 km² Population (est. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54. ... Magheralin is a village in the townland of Moira, County Down in Northern Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Downpatrick Area: 2,448 km² Population (est. ...

After the Paris revelations the group largely faded. A small group continued on as Resistance and is believed to have joined the Combined Loyalist Military Command, although it has long since faded. The Combined Loyalist Military Command was an umbrella body for Loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland set up in the early 1990s. ...

In a front page article, June 10, 2007, The Belfast Telegraph, Sunday Life, reported that the Ulster Resistance movement is once again active and armed. The Belfast Telegraph reported that in a statement released by the group, it now claims to have, "the capability and resources to strike with deadly force."

References

• Paul Arthur & Keith Jeffrey, Northern Ireland Since 1968, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1996
• Jonathan Bardon, A History of Ulster, Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1992
• Steve Bruce, "The Red Hand", Oxford University Press, 1992
• Jim Cusack & Henry McDonald, "UVF", Poolbeg, 2000
• Martin Dillon, "Stone Cold", Hutchinson, 1992
• David McKittrick, "Lost Lives", Mainstream Publishing 2001
• Peter Taylor, "Loyalists", Bloomsbury, 1999

1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Born in the Roman Catholic, nationalist Markets area of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and a graduate of St. ... Martin Dillon is an author and journalist from Ireland. ... David McKittrick (1949 - present) is a Belfast-born journalist who has reported on Northern Ireland since 1971. ...

External links

• CAIN entry on Ulster Resistance
• Religion and Violence: The Case of Paisley and Ulster Evangelicals
• The Belfast Telegraph, Sunday Life